‘The Earth is what we all have in common….’

Wendell Berry April 2018

Sustainability and theology

Caring for the whole of creation is core to the Christian faith and needs to be taken seriously as work which concerns the physical and spiritual wellbeing of all people. We are all now aware of the damage that human activity has done to the planet, most acutely in the 20/21^st century. David Attenborough has shown us the horrors of the oceans being clogged with plastic and in this country poor air quality has been linked to mortality. Ever extreme weather has resulted in devastating flooding, whilst energy prices continue to rise and the media is swamped with warnings on increases in global temperatures, extinctions, crop failures and deadly droughts. God’s extraordinarily beautiful creation, planet Earth, is in crisis and we have a Christian responsibility to do all we can to change this by acting decisively and bravely’.

Statement Gloucester Diocesan Advisory Council 2020

In February 2020, Gloucester Diocesan Synod declared a climate emergency and agreed to bring forward dates of reducing 80% of carbon emissions to 2030.

St Marys’ Church is part of a scheme called Ecochurch initiated by A Rocha UK, which aims to equip churches to care for God’s creation through their ….

• Worship
• Use of buildings
• Use of land
• Engagement with the community
• Individual lifestyles

The scheme challenges us all to think about our stewardship role and to seek to find many ways to make improvements not only in appreciating and understanding of creation but in actively protecting it for years to come. The work for this is the responsibility of the whole PCC, the congregation and far beyond. We have a Silver award in what we have tackled so far.